Mary Virginia Whitfield Padgett, 93, died Monday, May 23, 2016 at Rex Rehab and Nursing Care Center in Apex. Graveside funeral service will be Friday, May 27, 2016 at 2:00pm at Cedarwood Cemetery in Weldon, NC with the Reverend Doctor J. Donald Phillips officiating. Family and friends are asked to gather and visit from 1:00pm to 1:45pm at Weldon Baptist Church before proceeding to the cemetery.

Mary was born in Halifax County on October 20, 1923 to the late Mary Virginia Pope and Thomas Allen Whitfield. She is also predeceased by her brother, Allen Pope Whitfield.
After graduation from Weldon High School, followed with a year of business school and at the age of 19; Mary began her lifelong career as a bookkeeper. Soon marriage and WWII took her and her husband, Edward Cleave Padgett to work in the shipyards of Wilmington, DE. After the war, they returned to Roanoke Rapids, NC. After the birth of their two children, they moved to Rocky Mount, NC. Divorce came early, leaving her to assume total care and responsibility for the children which in those days were challenging and difficult times for a single parent. Mary's strength of character, integrity, skills in the home and at work, and her undeniable tenacity to work hard and do every job well, coupled with her faith in the love and grace of God buoyed her through each time of hardship and also brought her great joy in the good times.

Of all the bookkeeping years, most memorable are her three decades as the office manager and bookkeeper for Davenport Motor Company in Rocky Mount. Being named the first non-family member on the company's board was a testament to her dependability and trustworthiness. She left her bookkeeping job to care for her mother in Weldon but later returned to Rocky Mount to become the lead bookkeeper for Schottland Mills. When the mills consolidated to a central corporate office in NYC, Mary moved with them. Although rarely a traveler outside NC, her spunk kept her interest in staying in NYC for nine years. She joined the Church of the Covenant in midtown Manhattan near the United Nations Building. As a volunteer with the church, she assisted U.N. foreign diplomats and delegates with their learning conversational English.

The decision to retire was easy – she became a grandmother. Hence, her unique name, "Bebe". During this phase of her life, aside from being "Bebe", genealogical research became her favored effort and quest. Sparked by her search and validation of family lineage, she joined the Daughters of the American Revolution, Halifax County, NC. In 1992, she and a small group of NC genealogists joined together to become founding/charter members to establish the Order of The First Families of North Carolina. Bebe was number eleven to be accepted on her lineage of William Whitfield.

The last decade of her journey on earth carried her to depths we can only imagine to be isolating. Communication with others was not through speech; but by her expressive countenance. Dementia left her unable to speak, write, move about or make her wishes known. Nevertheless, she gave the quickest, brightest smile imaginable to convey to the recipient(s) exactly what was needed…a palpable, sincere "I'm glad to see you!" The last four years (by God's grace) she was a resident at RRNCC-Apex. Mary's family is especially thankful for the exceedingly kind, heartfelt comfort, and exceptional care Bebe received from her 'family' of caregivers on the 200 Hall.

Mary is survived by her daughter, Virginia Beverly Padgett Griffin of Holly Springs, NC and her son, Thomas Edward. Padgett (Eni) of Bluff Dale, TX; four grandchildren and six great grandchildren: Sidney R. Griffin, Jr. (Krista) and their children, David and Sidney of Raleigh, NC; Mary Guill Griffin Debnam (Chris) and their children, Griffin and Peterson of Watha, NC, Valerie P. Dick (Chris) and their children, Dylan and Dalton of Midlothian, TX and Michael Padgett (Sarah) of Midlothian, TX.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a charity of one's choice in memory of Mary Whitfield Padgett.

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Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home and Cremation Center of Wallace